Albany, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/08/2014 -- Laboratory plasticware are equipment made up of polymers having variety of applications with respect to laboratory or research centers. The laboratory plasticware market has significantly evolved itself in past few decades in terms of material composition, design and application. Laboratory plasticware encompasses number of advantages such as being unbreakable in nature enhances its applicability with respect to handling radioactive isotopes, hazardous and carcinogenic chemicals or substances. The inherent characteristics of the equipment include environmental friendliness, reusability, thermostability and safety of laboratory personnel in case of accidents has upsurge the global market for laboratory plasticware as compared to the global glassware market in past.

Various types of laboratory plasticwares that are used in different laboratory or research encompass aspirator bottles, laboratory beaker, Buchner funnel, carrier tray, centrifuges and micro centrifuge tubes. Apart from these equipments laboratory plasticware are gaining lot of acceptance in cell cultures and cryopreservation related studies and experiments. Some of this equipment comprises cryobox, cryo coders, cryovials among others. With the advances in technology different chemical compositions or polymers are used to manufacture these laboratory plasticware equipments.

Some of the polymer used in manufacturing includes Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE). The LDPE based laboratory plasticware can withstand up to 90° C if used for short span of time and can be used continuously for longer period of time between 50°C-80°C. Various organic solvents may soften or swell LDPE but it has excellent resistance to dilute and concentrated acids, alcohols, bases and esters. The ranges of laboratory plastics apparatus manufactured from LDPE encompasses bottles, wash bottles, carboys and storage tanks among others. Similarly, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) HDPE exhibits higher chemical resistance than LDPE and can be used to handle or work with extremely concentrated or hazardous chemical substances. Polymethylpentene (PMP) is a polymer that is highly transparent in nature and rigid in nature and can withstand up to 180°C- 200°C. PMP is particularly useful in the manufacture of volumetric apparatus such as flasks, beakers and measuring cylinders. Polyvinylchloride (PVC) are primarily used in manufacturing tubing. The characteristic of the polymer makes the final product soft, pliable and transparent. Though PVC are not very resistive to organic solvents yet they posses good resistance to oils and are low permeable to gases.

Given its primary application in research and development activity, the laboratory plasticware market is slightly affected by the fluctuations in the market especially in Europe and the United states due to cuts in funding from government agencies and private companies. Despite of the economic slowdown, the United States market is the largest market because of presence of large number of university and research centers conducting and funding the research. Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market especially in countries such as China, India, Singapore and Japan among others due exponential rise in economy and emerging focus on the research programs in past decades. The rest of the world market is yet to emerge as a prominent geographical region though the initiatives from regulatory bodies, flooding of top notch research and manufacturing companies in this region will positively impact the growth and demand for laboratory plastic wares.

Some of the major drivers for the global laboratory plasticware market comprises upsurge in demand for plastic based equipments due to longer shelf life, better handling and safety benefits and increase in number of private research centers and training institute for students as well as researchers. The favorable trend is likely to continue in forthcoming years primarily due to rise in living standards and improving healthcare facilities in emerging nations. Environmental testing laboratories are likely to be an emerging and fastest growing segment due to stringent regulations and safety compliances. Some of the key players in market include Eppendorf AG, Kimble Chase Life Science and Research Products LLC, Duran Group GmbH, Mettler-Toledo International Inc., Gerresheimer AG, Thermo Fisher Scientifi, Inc., and Wheaton Science Products, among others.